Press Releases

Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), released the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report this afternoon titled, “Leaders Failed to Address Community Care Consult Delays Despite Staff’s Advocacy Efforts at VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo.” The report found that VA’s failures in “scheduling patients’ radiation therapy and neurosurgery appointments resulted in delays in care, and in some cases, either caused or increased the risk of patient harm.” The report found these failures harmed at least 12 veterans in New York.

“The Biden-Harris administration has a responsibility to veterans and their families to ensure that they receive the VA healthcare and benefits that they are owed, without delays. But time and time again I continue to hear from veterans and stakeholders that VA is neglecting its community care responsibilities because they want to bring care back in-house. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, following the MISSION Act is not optional – it’s the law,” said Chairman Bost. “This latest IG report on the Buffalo VA highlights how important it is for every veteran to receive the best, quick care that meets their treatment needs, whether in-house, or in the community. Community care is VA care, and I won’t let VA bureaucrats restrict it. It is unacceptable that VA is allowing its own leadership and failures to yet again lead to patient harm. The situation in Buffalo sadly reminds me of the failures in Phoenix which led to the resignation of Secretary Shinseki in 2014. Secretary McDonough and Dr. Elnahal must immediately take steps to fix the situation and ensure all high risk and time sensitive appointments are scheduled in a timely manner, and the VA senior leaders in Buffalo who are responsible for these failures must be held accountable immediately.”

Background:
The recent VA OIG report on the Buffalo VA focuses on four patients whose care was harmed by VA’s failures. These include: a patient who suffered extreme pain during their last two-months of life because VA failed to provide radiation therapy; a patient who waited nine weeks to obtain urgent radiation treatment; a patient who waited 10 months, suffering from seizure while waiting for a neurosurgery consult; and a patient at significant risk of stroke who waited 9 months for a CT scan.

Chairman Bost and his oversight team have been investigating the situation in Buffalo since last month, after being notified of related allegations. This included a recent oversight trip to Buffalo. During the trip, Chairman Bost’s team heard that although there are sufficient radiation therapy and neurosurgery resources in the Buffalo community, VA’s failures in providing adequate community care referrals are allegedly due to botched VA leadership. The OIG found that VA didn’t even take the necessary steps to pick up the phone and make appointments with the community providers in a timely manner. Although, VA has admitted to some of its mistakes, there is no evidence VA has disciplined any employees involved in this failure.